While it's not quite up there with the announcement of a new Dr Who or James Bond, unveiling a fresh Lara Croft model is, these days, at least comparable to Burton revealing the latest downmarket lad icon to appear in its shop window photography (current victim - England cricket player Kevin Pieterson).
And the winner is... 20-year-old model Karima Adebibe from Bethnal Green who will spend a glamorous two years as the face of Lara. As the press release witters:
"Starting immediately she will embark on a gruelling training programme which includes an SAS survival, combat and semi automatic weapon firing course in Eastern Europe and a crash course in world archaeology, deportment, elocution and etiquette lessons"
All of which will no doubt prove invaluable for a life spent attending videogame events and holding plastic guns in a provocative manner. More useful to the modelling aspects of her new job will be Adebibe's previous experience as a Top Shop sales assistant - she will certainly have mastered the art of standing dead still while looking moody and vaguely threatening.
"This is an incredible opportunity for me and one which I plan to grasp with both hands" said Karima, showing an admirable understanding of the role that double entendre will now play in her career. Later in the same press release, Matt Gorman, Brand Controller for Tomb Raider, comments, "Karima has all the assets needed to accurately portray the world's favourite female action hero". Are they doing it on purpose?
Karima follows in the footsteps of Lucy Clarkson, Rhona Mitra, Nell McAndrew, Vanessa Demouy, Lara Weller and of course Angelina Jolie as the living embodiment of Ms Croft - all of whom now enjoy successful and high profile careers in the entertainment industry. Apart from the first five.
